Race 2 Win: Nationwide Series Race Notes

Nationwide Series

Lipton Tea 250 - Clint Bowyer Notes

Clint Bowyer
No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: Lipton Tea 250 – May 2, 2008
Venue: Richmond International Raceway – Richmond, Va.

NOTES:

This Week’s BB&T Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 069 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable. Built new last season, this is the same BB&T Chevy Bowyer drove to Victory Lane last spring in the Circuit City 250 at RIR. This car also saw the checkered flag last spring at Phoenix International Raceway. Additionally, the Emporia, Kan., native raced this car last July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (St. 3 – Fn. 6). The same car also saw action in September at Richmond (St. 11 – Fn. 33) and again in November in Phoenix (St. 1 – Fn. 3). Most recently, Bowyer raced this car to an eighth-place finish three weeks ago in Phoenix. All told, Chassis No. 069 has recorded two wins, one pole, three top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Back in the Saddle with BB&T … After running a Camping World paint scheme last weekend at Talladega, Bowyer’s No. 2 Chevy Monte Carlo SS returns to its traditional burgundy and gold BB&T colors this weekend in Richmond.

The Richmond Report … In six Nationwide Series starts at Richmond’s .75-mile, D-shaped oval, Bowyer has one win and three top-10 finishes. The six-time Nationwide Series winner is the defending winner of the spring race at the “Action Track.”

Bowyer in the Loop …

Average Running Position … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Bowyer is ranked second, to Carl Edwards, in the Average Running Position category with a 9.151 ARP. The ARP is derived from taking the sum of a driver’s position on each lap and dividing it by the number of laps run in each race.

Driver Rating … At the same time, Bowyer enjoys a 107.3 Driver Rating – second only to Kyle Busch (111.3). The Driver Rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The Driver Rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

Laps in the Top 15 … Meanwhile, the six-time NNS winner has spent 1,408 of the 1,665 laps completed this season (84.6 percent) running in the top 15.

Laps Led … Bowyer has led 200 laps in Nationwide competition this season and trails only Busch and two-time Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart in that category.

A Look in the Rear View … Bowyer was sidelined early in last Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway after being in the wrong place at the wrong time but despite a 25th-place finish, the 28-year-old driver maintained the points lead. As the field was barreling through turn three just 11 laps in to the 117-lap event, Bowyer was collected in an incident after 2007 Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti cut a right-rear tire.

RCR Nationwide Cars in Richmond … In 36 NNS starts at Richmond, RCR has earned five wins (Bowyer – May ’07 and Harvick – Sept. and May ‘06, May ’05 and Sept. ‘03), two poles, 13 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. RCR-prepared Nationwide Series entries have also led 804 laps at RIR.

RCR Nationwide News … In 10 NNS races this season, RCR-prepared Nationwide Series entries have notched two wins (Bowyer – Bristol and Scott Wimmer – Nashville), nine top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. RCR cars have also led 285 of the 1,665 (17.1 percent) totals laps run this season.

Coming Home … Three members of the BB&T racing team hail from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Shock specialist P.J. Bryant is a native of Dale City while rear tire carrier Michael “Don Juan” Hodges is originally from Abingdon. Mechanic Hylton Tatum still calls Stuart home.

Meet the Driver … On behalf of NASCAR series’ sponsor Nationwide Insurance, Bowyer will appear at Hermitage High School, 8301 Hungary Spring Road, in Richmond on Thursday, May 1 from 4-6 p.m. to team up with DRIVE SMART Virginia, the Virginia State Police, Henrico County School officials and Richmond International Raceway to encourage motorists in Virginia to drive safely and stop texting while driving. To drive home the message that multitasking behind the wheel puts drivers and their fellow motorists as risk, students and community members can see first-hand the impact text messaging has on their driving abilities while racing in a NASCAR Nationwide Series simulator. The event, which is open to the public, will also include a driver autograph session, the Nationwide show car, a photo imaging station, giveaways and a chance to win a VIP race weekend experience at Richmond.

Double Duty at RIR … Following his duties behind the wheel of the No. 2 BB&T Chevy Monte Carlo SS, Bowyer will turn his attention to the No. 07 BB&T Impala SS for Saturday’s Crown Royal 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Live coverage of the 10th points-paying race on the 2008 schedule will take the green flag Saturday, May 3 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on FOX and broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on SPEED Friday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. EDT.

Up to Speed … The Lipton Tea 250 will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, May 2 beginning at 7p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on SPEED the same day beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES
You tested the Nationwide car at Richmond back in March. How much can that help both the Nationwide and Cup programs?
“Probably not as much with the Cup program anymore because the cars are so different but I definitely feel like the BB&T Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series is good. We were a little bit behind at the test so we came back and did some good things and I feel like we’ll be good once we get back there for the race.”

Was the win last spring a breakthrough win for your Nationwide team?
“I think it was. That win led to a lot of good things. We ran well last season. We only had two less top fives than (2007 division champion) Carl (Edwards) and we only ran a part-time schedule. I don’t think it’s a mystery that I’m looking forward to going to Richmond. I’m hoping we can put Talladega behind us and pick our momentum back up and hang on to the points lead.”

In the last two years it seems like Richmond has been feast or famine for you.
“We got wrecked in two races but that’s bound to happen sometimes. Unfortunately, in racing, that’s part of it but it’s still a track where I run well so I always look forward to it.”